devonapple brought to my attention this little device that, by judicious application of microwaves, extracts oil and gas from plastics, rubber, and just about anything that has a hydrocarbon base, and leaves a remainder of pure carbon.  The video linked therein is a mediocre production, but it's still impressive.

If you've ever wondered where your food really comes from, you should read this interview to start; in short, our diet depends heavily on petroleum and corn.  Pollan's book sounds really interesting.

Ecuadorean aborigines sue ChevronTexaco due to alleged damages caused by Texaco over 20 years of drilling.

ChevronTexaco "is not the successor to Texaco. Therefore it cannot be held responsible for anything," ChevronTexaco lawyer Adolfo Callejas said.

Now THAT'S entertainment!